MESSAGE TO MOUNT CARMEL PRESERVATION members and supporters:

We were all deeply saddened by the Historic Commission’s stunning decision to not move our petition for a Historic District feasibility study forward at last night’s meeting on January 19, 2017.

Such a study would have been worthy, on many levels, to undertake, and the commission would have received plenty of facilitation support from Preservation Worcester and from our Mount Carmel Preservation Society. Moving forward with the study would have been a just and respectful step in consideration of a Church that is a primary living historical artifact and an important part of Worcester’s identity as a multicultural city and, as well, to its Italian community.

Mount Carmel Preservation members and our supporters should be proud of their hard work and amazing accomplishments. Thank you for pursuing our collective mission with dignity, with conviction and assertiveness.

We love our Church and our Faith, we were not ashamed to bring witness to the truth.

We continue to believe our Church is a historical Sacred structure worthy of preservation. The City Building Commissioner said there was no need to knock the church down. Our studies indicated our parish, seated on Mulberry Street, could maintain and sustain the Church and campus. As a parish that has a potential to thrive on a plot of land, of approximately five acres, assessed at approximately $7 million dollars, it is no surprise, as parishioners, with respect to all who made sacrifices over the last 100 years toward building our Church, that we are very disappointed with the Commission’s decision.

You all stood tall as a true family, continually respectful and professional through the entire process in our passionate appeal to fix and re-open our church and save our parish on Mulberry Street. We acted in good faith throughout the entire process. We were let down by our Parish leadership.

There may be opportunities for various appeals to consider and our Board is taking them under advisement.

Now, as we move forward with thanksgiving and forgiveness, we join members of the Worcester City Council, Preservation Worcester and Mass Preservation, in hopes, and as we requested, to continue discussions with the Bishop, to work together and to explore ways to re-open our Church.

We pray the Bishop will have a change of heart or, at the very least, the WBDC and the Chamber of Commerce will find a developer who fully understands and appreciates the value of functional sacred space.

We will update you with further actions as soon as possible. I hope to see you at our Prayer vigil this Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Mt Carmel Apartments.

Our next meeting is tentatively scheduled for Monday, February 6, at 6 p.m. Details will be forthcoming.

God Bless you and God Bless Our Lady of Mount Carmel-St. Ann Parish.

Mauro DePasquale, President
Mount Carmel Preservation Society